Kid's Sunday School Activities: Paul and the Viper

Paul overcomes a snake bite: Easy to make viper, snake or serpent

Great fun for boys and girls.

above:Coiled Snake or viper

Below: Viper bite

New Testament Serpents, Snakes and Vipers
Paul's Snake
Make a Crafty Viper

INSTRUCTION FOR SNAKE BITE
(VIPER BITE included)

Super Bible craft and activity for boys, but surprisingly, the girls really enjoyed it too.

Twisted Snake/ serpent

Multi-use SERPENT - see also Old Testament resources
1. Creation: The garden of Eden story
2. Moses Exodus: Moses turns his rod into a serpent
Often the serpent represents the devil or sin, as it does in the creation story.

Story support that they won't forget!

EASY TO CUT and MAKE - Great fun to use

Story support: If you are making the viper for the Paul story, follow all the instructions below and complete before reading or telling the story. When the story is read, at the part where the viper attaches itself to Paul's hand have all the kids have the viper bite their finger and it will stick to their finger. Press the head closed on their finger so it stays. (you'll understand once you have read all the directions)

OPTIONAL IDEA IF YOU HAVE TIME:Color and decorate the snake - like diamond backs or stripes, or whatever.

Grades: 2 to 6

CAUTION
Cutting and gluing are quite easy for even young kids, but the snake may be too scary for younger children.

New Testament, Paul

Paul's Missionary journeys
Paul on Malta
Paul and the Viper
Acts 28: 1-10

A serpent is usually referencing a really large snake.
A Viper usually means a small snake.
Both can be deadly.

This event occurred on Malta after the shipwreck. It shows one of God's miracles. (Paul surviving the snake bite)

This story also shows how God may have a different plan for us than we did. (Paul was headed for Rome, but God had him stop and help in Malta)

Teacher: Precut the 2 pieces to confirm to the kids what they are cutting.

Material Checklist

	Copy activity Page for each student
	Scissors
	White glue or glue stick
	Markers
	FOR VIPER: Tacky Putty **(plus all above) Some chewing gums may work, but I cannot recommend any specifically nor guarantee results with gum.

Identify the 3 sections:

Head section
Middle section (plain rectangle)
Tail section (pointed)

(time- about 10 minutes, coloring takes longer)

1. Cut out the 3 pieces for a snake or serpent on the HEAVY SOLID LINES
(If you are making the VIPER (Small snake) use only the head and tail pieces.

2. Put glue on GLUE AREA 1 and 2.

3. Place the unglued end of the plain rectangle over glue area 1 of the head section (for snake or serpent, but ignore for viper)

4. Place the plain end of tail section over glue area 2

viper

You should have one long piece for the snake or serpent, but a shorter one for the viper.

5. Fold 1 along the dashed line going from the "Forked tongue"
to the tail.

6. Turn the paper if needed so you see "Glue before final fold" several times all the way down the body. Glue where it says to glue and along entire body. (NOT THE HEAD)

7. Next fold the top-of-head strip over the glue watching for the dashed lines.
(DO NOT GLUE THE HEAD)

8. Spread the head apart to open the mouth and color the forked tongue red or green with marker.

Twisted fold (choice 1) Serpent, Snake or viper
9. Twist fold as shown here all the way down the body- or partially down the body, whatever you want. twisting in the same direction all the way will give your snake a flexible curved body. Twist folding one way and then another will change the shape of your snake too.

all twisted

10. (Choice 2)COILED SNAKE, serpent or viper

Just grab the tail and roll it around your fingers or hand until you reach the head then let it go. The tighter you wrap it the more coiled it will be.

10 a. 10b 10c

BITING VIPER

11. If it is to be a VIPER - a small snake, use only the head and tail piece. (Skip the middle piece) (you could print it on green or light brown paper if you are not coloring it) If you are coloring it, do it now. DO NOT color inside the mouth except the forked tongue. The ovals on the tail represent rattles - though vipers don't have them, kids often associate them with snakes so they can do whatever they want with coloring them.

12. To complete the viper for the story, if you have tacky putty (or something similar), warm it in your hand until it becomes very tacky (kneed it like dough). You should be able to put a small amount (about 1/4 inch by 3/4 inch) in the open the viper's mouth.

13.Stick it to your finger! Close the mouth around your finger and press. (Temperature and humidity make a difference) . This will probably only work with the VIPER as it is lighter in weight than the entire 3 piece snake. Kids just loved it.

CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO GET Paul's viper or snake

Paper snake or viper Word Document

** Tacky putty is usually used to stick paper on classroom walls. It's something like play dough, but stickier.

*About the materials used in our projects:
sunday school materials

Sunday School Resources FOR KIDS
from the Sunday School Director of Christian Education of Faith Congregational Church, Mount Prospect, Illinois

Activities and crafts for Children's Religious Education, Christian Education, Sunday School and Home School

This page was updated on October 14, 2011

Kid's Sunday School Activities: Paul and the Viper - snake- Paul's Missionary journeys

Christian Kids Activity Page for Paul's Missionary Journeys
PAUL AND THE SNAKE

Kid's Sunday School Activities: Paul and the Viper - snake- Paul's Missionary journeys

Christian Kids Activity Page for Paul's Missionary Journeys PAUL AND THE SNAKE

Christian Kids Activity Page for Paul's Missionary Journeys
PAUL AND THE SNAKE